


Pitter Patter Rain Drops

by justonewordpond



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst for days, Ed Nygma learns he should care about people, Gen, Southern Jonathan, but nobody actually dies, lots of talk of death and stuff very sad, the gang almost drowns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-05-19 15:35:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14876513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justonewordpond/pseuds/justonewordpond
Summary: When a hurricane leaves Arkham flooded the Rogues take life and death into their own hands. Ed learns some life lessons, Jonathan becomes the unlikely voice of reason and Jervis tries his best not to drown.





	1. When the Rain Comes

Edward Nygma had never done a thing in his life without a fuss and he certainly wasn’t about to stop now. Even with two inches of water covering his feet and more rushing in he still resisted the two guards who attempted to force him from his cell. At first he tried asking, and then demanding, what the  _ hell  _ was going on. Then he resigned to flailing and kicking. The two guards were less than impressed, they easily subdued the lean man and dragged him into the flooded hallway.

He joined a swarm of other inmates, all being led like cattle to the slaughter. Above them the lights flickered on and off and the deafening sound of rain echoed like an old god slamming its fists onto the stone roof of Arkham Asylum. Other inmates screamed and cried, not understanding where they were being taken or what was happening but Edward refused to let into that kind of behavior no matter how much he wanted to scream alongside them.

“It’s a hurricane, isn’t it? Must of come up the coast either unexpectedly or it got worse as it hit the Atlantic Ocean.” From the look on the guards face to his left he was right. “It has been unseasonably warm the last few days, someone should have prepared for this. Oh but budget cuts and that of course. Ten minutes with their books I could get them all sorted but no, they don’t need the help of me.” 

“Should’ve asked for the gag so we didn’t have to listen to this shit.” the guard to his right said and Ed turned and tried to twist out of her arm. 

“I have a right to know what’s going on and where you’re taking me.” He growled as they turned out of the hallway and down another. His heart thumped painfully in his chest with the anxiety of not knowing, not being in control. He knew the layout of Arkham like the back of his hand by now, of course, but as they branched apart from most of the other inmates he couldn’t stop the shiver that went down the spine.  

They pulled him down another hallway which he followed in the set of blueprints in his mind as the beginning of the medium security ward. It would be far less secure then where he was usually taken but it was on higher ground, here the water was just beginning to collect on the floor. They roughly stopped him at a cell and when he saw who was inside he sighed with relief. A spindly figure with a shock of ginger hair was curled up in his cot, a few dozen books spread on his bunk and even more piled on the bed above him. In his lap sat one which he didn’t look up from as he heard his door being unlocked.

“Jonathan, what the hell are you doing out of maximum security?” Ed asked as one of the guards opened the cell and nearly tossed him inside of it. 

“Good behavior.” He said.

“Bullshit.”

“Is that so hard to believe?”

“For you, absolutely.”

Jonathan scoffed as he turned a page in his book. 

“For your information max is under about three feet of water right now. They had no choice.”

Edward shook his head and leaned against the bars of the cell.

“I’m surprised they didn’t let you drown.”

“Do you wish they did?” Jonathan asked, still not looking up from his book. His voice was neutral sounding as if he were asking Edward what his favorite type of ice cream was. Ed crossed his arms defensively.

“Of course not Jon. Why would you say that?

Jon hummed in a ‘you know me’ way and flipped a page in his book. Ed heard more voices coming down the hallway and he quickly turned toward them, hands gripping the bars of the cell so hard his knuckles were stark white. 

“Excuse me I want a word! I- look I’m talking to you, yes you. No don’t walk away! You absolute ignarmous, you complete-”

“Sit down Edward you know they know better then to engage you in conversation.” 

Ed Nygma shot around to glare at Jonathan with the speed of a bullet. He gave him the worst look he could muster but standing there  he looked more pathetic than anything. Even if the other man could look threatening, which in Jonathan’s good opinion he could not, it certainly wouldn’t be as he was splashing around in ankle deep water like a toddler at the beach for the first time.

“We’re going to drown in here like rats.”

“And you think they care?” Jonathan let out a bitter laugh. 

There was an enormous crack of thunder and the lights flickered once, twice, and then went out with a pop. They were in darkness for a moment before the wheezing of the generators echoed through the hallway and they were bathed in a bleak light. Edward jumped a little but Jonathan was imobline on his bed, still laying with a book in his lap reading.

“Well I care Jonathan. You know if I die the average IQ of gotham will drop exponentially. I am a proud outlier in this city of IDIOTS.”

“So I’ve heard.” Jonathan sighed.

“Besides they’ll drown too in this damned place!” Ed said, stomping back in forth in anger. It sent uncomfortably loud and soggy smacking sounds through the small cell. In any other surrounding Jonathan would be listening to it, he was a lover of unpleasant sounds and he  took mental notes of anything he could use in a future experimentation. But now he was too annoyed to find them fascinating.

“Sit down, Ed. Read a book. Take your mind off things.” 

Ed let out an angry gust of breath but walked over to the cot and looked at the titles scattered around Jonathan. He looked up at the top bunk and when he couldn’t see them he stepped on the edge of the bottom mattress and pulled himself up to look at them. Jonathan cursed as he had to quickly grab a volume from falling into the water below from the bounce of Edwards foot. 

“Perfectly good ladder right there you know.”

“Oh I know.” Ed said, arranging himself amongst the books on the top bunk so he wasn’t bending any. He dangled his feet off the edge and kicked them back and forth simply because he knew it was going to annoy Jonathan. On the bottom bunk Jonathan angirly sighed as small water droplets misted him. Ed smiled in satisfaction.

“So let me guess, you agreed to not escape or strangle anyone if they let save as many of these precious, darling books as you could carry?”

“Right as always.”

“I know you well Jon.” Ed said as he sifted through the books in the bed. Most of them were nonfiction, relating to either psychology or neurology but more then a few fiction also sat scattered among them. Ed picked up a very battered copy of Baum’s Wizard of Oz and scoffed at it. Then he saw another and snatched it off the cot. From just hearing Ed’s movement Jonathan knew exactly what he had grabbed.

“Sleepy Hollow? Seriously?”

“Classic.” Jonathan said from the bottom of the bunk. Of course it had been the first book he had grabbed, knowing exactly where it was. He’d hidden it himself years ago after he had become suspicious that they would retract it from the library and destroy it in punishment to his misbehaviors. The very thought of any book being burned was enough to make his fingers itch to strangle someone but the thought of Sleepy Hollow going up filled him with uncontrollable hatred for the institution. He never doubted that had they found it they would've followed through with his thoughts. Luckily it had remained hidden beneath a very dusty encyclopedia on the top shelf of the History and Geography section. 

He had only seen one person ever enter that section in all the time he had spent at Arkham, and it was Jervis Tetch who had paced up and down the aisles desperately muttering about finding Wonderland. Of course he hadn’t found it in any of the books of maps he’d desperately pulled off the shelves in near hysteria and Jonathan had been forced to drag his friend out of the library completely and pin him to the table until a guard came and escorted him away. Jonathan had hated to do that, he trusted Scarecrow more then he trusted any of the guards here but when Jervis was in a fit there was no telling what it would escalate into.

“You didn’t even bother to save anything interesting.” Edward said and as soon as the words left his mouth he knew he was in trouble. When Jonathan spoke his voice was deep and rough with a whisper of southern ash behind it.

“If I hear one more insult from you, child, I will make sure it isn’t the water that takes your life tonight.”

Edward’s mouth went dry and he took a few deep breaths so he didn’t stutter. He knew if Scarecrow surfaced anymore there was no way he would survive the night.

“I’m sorry Jon. I know better then to insult your books. This was noble of you, really. I have a lot of respect for you trying to keep this place educated. You know that means a lot to me too.”

“It’s alright.”Jonathan said. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out through his nose. “I’m sorry too. We shouldn’t fight. Scarecrow’s just a little on edge tonight.”

“It’s understandable.” Edward told him just as another large boom of thunder echoed through the asylum, shaking the walls. He took off his shoes and rolled up his pant legs then crawled down the steps of the ladder. He paced back and forth in the water, careful not to splash Jonathan. He anxiously looked up and down the hallway for hide or tail of any guard or anyone to give him information on what was happening. Finally Jonathan put down his book and looked over at Ed.

“Are you afraid to die?” He asked him and Edward gave a loud groan, shaking his head.

“I know better then to answer that, well I should know better. But no, no more than the average human being. I just don’t like being kept in the dark. You know how much that bothers me.”

Jonathan nodded that he did, boy did he know. In past years when they had collaborated on projects Ed had barely let him leave, obsessively staying at his hip going over plans again and again until Jonathan was saying them in his sleep. During the actual villany if Jonathan went off script at all it was nearly the end of the goddamned world.  But Ed, of course, was free to leave whatever breadcrumbs he wanted mid heist, nearly getting them caught more often then not. This was one of many reasons why they hadn’t done any teamwork in the most recent years. 

Ed leaned against the bars of the cell in exasperation, wringing his hands in an annoyed motion.

“You gotta breathe, Ed-.”

“I am breathing.”

“-and relax.”

“How am I supposed to relax? There's already an inch more water then when I first got here. At this rate it’ll be up to my neck by lights out. Not that I expect those World War II era generators to last anywhere near that long. Sure you’ll last a little longer with your height, maybe. You know how to swim, don’t you?”

“Sure do.”

“Wonderful to hear.” Ed said sarcastically. He looked around the cell looking for any weekspots or anything that he could use to open the door. Nothing jumped his attention. Instead his eyes rested on Jonathan, still lounging on his cot.

“Why are you so calm?” He asked suspiciously.

“I’m not.”

“Look pretty damned calm to me.”

Jonathan sat up in the bed and looked at him.

“I’m keeping my heart rate down so Scarecrow doesn’t get suspicious.”

At that Ed wanted to scream, wanted to kick water around the cell and throw himself against the bars of the cell. He wanted to throw the most almighty tantrum that anyone had ever seen.

But he didn’t, knowing that would definitely heighten Jonathan’s heart rate. Instead he continued his slow pacing back and forth across the cell, wringing his hands together. Jonathan laid back down on the bed and closed his eyes, willing sleep to take him. He was on the brink of falling asleep when Ed’s gentle sloshing stopped and he could sense someone standing over him.

“Can I help you?” Jonathan asked, annoyed.

“Are you trying to sleep?” Ed demanded.

“Was.”

Jonathan didn’t open his eyes but he knew Ed had one of his infamous looks on his face. One that said, ‘are you fucking kidding me right now?’ It was one he made often. Ed was silent and after a few minutes of not moving Jonathan sighed and looked up at him. Jonathan was taken aback, instead of annoyance Ed was wearing a face of concern that looked very, very wrong on his face.

“What?” Jonathan demanded.

Ed didn’t say anything but his brow furrowed more.

“What?” Jonathan said again.

“You- you worry me sometimes Jon.” Ed said.

Jonathan scoffed at that and rolled away until he was against the wall as Ed sat down on the edge of the mattress. He shook of his feet a little, trying to get them as dry as possible before sitting with his legs crossed. His eyes didn’t leave Jon.

“There’s nothing you need to worry about.” Jonathan assured him. 

They both sat in silence for a while, the only noise the sloshing of water filling the cell and the occasional wail from one of the cells down the hall. Finally Jonathan rolled himself over to look at Ed.

“Why are you worried about me?” He asked. 

“Well for starters, you look like shit. More than usual.”

“‘Preciate it.”

“Have you been eating at all?”

“Here and there.”

“Oh Jon.” Edward sighed. He looked the man over, up close like this he could see how gaunt Jonathan's face was, how his skin seemed stretched like wet rice paper over his bones. He had a thick stubble of beard, a sure sign Ed knew of the other man's decline in mental health.

“I’m fine.” Jonathan insisted.

“You haven’t been eating, you’re not shaving or taking care of yourself, and you’re hearing Scarecrow.You think that’s fine? Not to mention you don't seem the least bit concerned about dying in here, which is a very, very real possibility. You look numb, Jon, and you’re either depressed or back on -”

“I’m not back on anything. I quit years ago.” Jonathan snapped.

“You’re depressed then.”

“Not anything I’m not used to.”

Ed ran a hand through his hair, not knowing what to do or say to the other man. He had never been good at helping other people, be it physically or emotionally. He didn’t need a psychologist to help him track that bit of emotional stunt back to his piece of shit daddy, who would rather tack on a black eye to a swollen lip then offer actual emotional support to his son.

“I-I’m sorry. I don’t know how to help you. I know the last few months we haven’t seen much  of each other but I am here for you, always have been. And should we survive tonight I will continue to be.”

“Thank you Eddie.” Jonathan said smally. He leaned his leg over so it was resting against Ed’s back. The touch made him feel slightly better, slightly warmer like his heart was beating in his chest again.

This pleasant peace lasted for approximately five seconds until he realized that his ass was wet. Ed seemed to notice at the same time he did and jumped to his feet. Under him the cheap mattress sloshed like a waterbed and he struggled to keep his balance. Jonathan grabbed him around the legs to keep him from falling into the water.

“The books-” Jonathan said gravely and Ed went to work gathering as many as he could in his hands and tossing them up onto the dry bed above them. Ed lifted himself to the top bunk once again, struggling not to drop any of the volumes into the murky water below. Jonathan tried to pull himself up but he struggled to find the energy in his body to even stand. He looked up at Ed who from this height could see the lines around Jonathan’s eyes and the thick purple bruises underneath them. He looked old, which he was as Edward reminded him at every opportunity, but Ed had never seen him like this. 

“Come on, you.” Edward said, putting out a hand and clasping Jonathan’s in his. He put his feet against the metal frame of the bed and used it as leverage as he pulled Jonathan up onto the top mattress. It was easier then expected, Edward was lean but Jonathan was practically skin and bones. Although he had over half a foot on Ed he weighed almost thirty pounds less. 

Jonathan landed with a hearty thud and then lay on his side, breathing hard. He curled his long limbs around himself, resembling a dead spider. He faced the wall, not wanting Ed to see  his face. 

“Are we really going to die like this?” He asked, his voice a hair above a whisper.

Edward looked over at him, eyes darting down Jon’s curled up, defeated body. One of his thin hands furled and unfurled, holding onto a novel as if he were a sinner on death row clutching onto a rosemary. Ed looked down and read the title,  _ Sleepy Hollow _ .  _ Of course _ . He knew Jon was caressing the book for strength, trying to find reassurance in the comforting pages, the known words. Ed had a fleeting vision of himself as a boy clutching a green teddy bear in the same manner, praying that it would protect him from the inevitable slam of a screen door and the oaky smell of whiskey that accompanied it. 

“I...I don’t know.” Ed said truthfully. “But certainly not if I can help it.”

 


	2. Moral High Grounds

“What’re ya gonna do Eddie?”Jonathan asked. He sounded exasperated. “We’re stuck in this cell, barely ‘nough light to see, an’ that waters gonna be at our throats ‘fore we know it. There's nothing we can do.”

“Well…” Ed said, biting his lip. “There is something I can do. But you won’t like it.”

“I rarely do. What is it?”

Ed smiled apologetically. “I need your glasses.”

“My-oh hell no y-”

Ed cut him off. “Look, when we’re safe out of here I’ll buy you a new pair, Hell, I’ll buy you a hundred new pairs.”

“Use your own!”

“Look, I have plastic frames!” He said, yanking them off of his face and gesturing at them for emphasis. He waved the rectangular glasses at Jonathan. “You have metal ones, it’s the metal part that I need.”

“And ya understand if I give these to ya I’m going to be near blind in this Atlantic nigh’mare, righ’?”

“Yes, and it’s between that or drowning so what’ll it be Jon?” Edward asked patiently.

Jonathan groaned but he took off his glasses and handed them over to Ed. Jonathan squinted, trying to follow Ed’s blurry hands as he went to work pushing the metal against the wall straightening out the curves. He popped out the lenses, stuffing them into his shirt pocket for safekeeping, and then continued to bend the bridge of the glasses until the wire was straight as a rod. He bent it forewords and then backwards and fiddled with the small metal parts, trying to make them as perfect as he could.

Just as he had it nearly completed the lights went out without even a flicker. The emergency generators were finally down for the count.

“Well looks like we’re both blind now regardless.” Ed muttered, still furiously bending the metal until he felt the familiar shape in his hands.

“Can you still use that?” Jonathan asked.

Edward laughed, rolling his eyes. “I could do this in my sleep Jon, come on. Don’t think this is my first time breaking out of here do you? And without the power on it’ll be twice as easy. Now I only have to pick the physical lock, instead of also needing to hack the second electronic code. Not that that would’ve been difficult for me of course.”

Finally he was satisfied with the pick. He tried to lower himself down from the bunk but when his foot reached the water sogged bunk beneath them he slipped with all the grace of a dead cat. He crashed into the water sending an Olympic pool sized splash onto Jonathan.

“Jesus Christ Ed! Would it kill ya to be a lil’ graceful?” Jonathan yelled, pushing wet hair out of his eyes.

“This water is up to my waist what did you want me to do?”  Ed said furiously as he waded through the cold water that was lapping around his naval. He had to fight the current as the water pushed into the cell.

Ed reached out and hooked his arms around the bars, thanking the stars that they had been placed in one of the old fashioned low security cells. He was sure if they were still in one of the modern cells with the glass walls they would’ve drowned by now. Searching blindly for the keyhole he meticulously slid his hands up and down the bars, not daring to waste time by overlooking it now. His fingers brushed the lock and he jammed Jonathan’s glasses into the hole. He put his ear against the metal straining to hear the lock above the noise of rushing water and rustling clothes.

“Could you stop that for one second, I’m trying to save our lives here.” Ed asked, turning to shout at Jonathan.

“I’m done anyways.” Jonathan said and Ed could hear him climbing down from the bunk. He landed with a much more graceful splash besides him. Ed turned back to the lock and focused on the tumblers within, letting all other noise disappear around him until all he heard was the gentle clicks of metal.

“Al-mo-st there.” He said, just as he felt the lock click open. “A-ha! Come on Jon, help me push.”

Together the two of them forced open the door against the current and they ducked into the hallway. They felt blindly around them and then set off running in seperate directions. It took them both a moment to realize what they had done before turning back.

“Where are you going, the nearest exit is this way!” Ed demanded.

“Seriously Ed?” Jonathan asked. “We’re going to let everyone else drown?”

Ed groaned in frustration. “Why do you even care? Last time I checked you weren’t exactly the expert in moral high ground. We have to save ourselves, everyone else can find their own -”

“Harley? Jervis? ” Jonathan called over Ed’s nihilistic ranting. He turned down the hallway towards more cell blocks. Ed threw up his hands in frustration but followed after him. They went through a pair of open doors from the power outage and heard frantic voices. Jonathan recognized one and ran towards them.

“Jervis?”

“Jonathan? What’s going on?”

“Oh thank God you’re lucid. Hang tight, we’re gettin’ you out of there. Who else is down here?”

“Not many,” Jervis tittered. “They were evacuating but I think they stopped, I haven’t seen any guards in a long time.”

“It’s a little too late for that-”Ed scoffed.

Ed felt the last tumbler fall into place and the door clinked opened. They both pushed against the bars forcing the door to slide open.

“Come on Jervis,” Jonathan said.

“Alright, I-” Jervis said as he came down the ladder and felt the water slowly rise up his body until it rested at his upper chest. “Erm, heh, seems like we have a-a ,er, slight problem”

“Shit!” Ed smacked himself in the head. Somehow he had forgotten about Jervis’ small height. In his defense he hadn’t seen Jervis in over a year but he loathed forgetting any fact about anything or anyone. “Alright Jon, looks like you’re going to have to carry him.”

“I can’t, I’ve already got my books.” Jonathan said. “Made a lil’ bag with the bedsheets.”

“Of course,” Ed rolled his eyes. “Well it’s either the books or Jervis, Jon, what’s it gonna be?”

“Believe me, I don’t want either of you to carry me.” Jervis interjected, but he was relieved that Ed had suggested someone carry him so he hadn’t had to. “But we both know if Jon’s got books he’s gonna choose the books. That leaves you, Dormouse.”

“But I’ve got to open the cells, I can’t do that carrying you,”

“Enough! Jesus can nothing be easy with you?” Jonathan said in frustration. He took the bag of books off of his back and slammed it into Ed’s chest knocking the man backwards. “Carry these, I’ll take Jervis.  Let’s go.”

“For your information, no I can’t.” Ed said but he still slung the bag over his shoulders without a word more protest. The bag was heavy and awkwardly bundled but he had to say Jon had done a very creative way of folding the sheets to make a makeshift bag. He put up an imaginary sticky note in his mind to ask Jonathan to show him how he did it. Well, as long as they got out of this night alive, that was.

Jonathan knelt as much as he could in the water and helped Jervis grab hold onto his back. The man was light and kept a good grip around Jonathan’s shoulders, careful on where he grabbed. He knew how adverse Jonathan was to physical contact, he had sent men out of Arkham in a body bag before for merely brushing up against him on one of his bad days. Jervis considered himself very lucky that Jonathan wasn’t in a violent mood, in fact he seemed determined on carrying Jervis for as long as he had to.

The three didn’t have to go far down the hallway until they started to hear a cacophony of voices that rose in volume as they heard the trio coming down the hall. Nearly every cell as far as they could hear was filled with people, most screaming or crying with confusion and fear. Jonathan stopped walking and closed his eyes, letting a thirsty smile line his face. He breathed in deep with the symphony of terrified voices.

“Please, please!”

“Help me- I’ll do anything-”

“I don’t want to die! I don’t want to! I don’t want to!”

“Mommy? MOMMY?”

“Don’t leave me, don’t leave me like everyone else please don’t leave me!”

“There's too many, we’ll drown before we can get all of these doors open.” Ed screamed over the voices. When Jonathan didn’t reply Ed reached for him and shook his shoulder until he came back to his senses with a jump.

“Can we please just keep going until we meet people we know and like?”

“Edward!” Jervis hissed. “That’s so fucked up!”

“Jervis is righ’, Ed, that’s pretty fucked up.”

Ed let out a huff and angrily adjusted the heavy weight on his shoulders.

“Once again, Jon, I don’t know why you’re playing moral high ground here. We’re not responsible for ANY of these people. Even with my unmatchable talent of picking locks there's just not enough time.”

“Ed is right,” Jervis started and Jonathan sharply turned to face him with a look that suggested he was about to drop him.

“Not with the whole let-letting everyone die, of course, but we’d drown ourselves before Ed could get all these doors open. What can we do?”

“ _What we can do_ is keep going down this hellish hallway until we reach the end and then keep going until we’re miles away from here. We don’t know any of these people, and it’s obvious to anyone with half a brain that they would do the same to us. You two can stand here and play hero all you want, but I’m not as hungry for self annihilation as the two of you. I’m going to get the fu-”

“Shh!” Jervis shushed Ed with an urgency that Ed didn’t hear, too irritated to notice.

“Don’t you dare do that to me! _NEVER_ in your _WILDEST DREAMS_ SHUSH ME JERVIS TETCH! I’ve killed for less I-”

“Lights!” Jervis said, and Ed swirled around just as two beams illuminated them in the dark hallway.

“What the fuck are you doing out of your cells?” A deep voice asked and the trio could make out two guards coming towards them.

“You can’t be out here you have to go back-” the other demanded, but as they got closer and recognized the trio she stopped. Jonathan could tell from the bounce of the lights that both of their hands were shaking with fear.

“Oh would you rather we stayed in our cells and drowned? Sorry, not going to happen.” Ed snarled.

“Get back-” The guard repeated weakly but it was clear she wasn’t up for a fight.

Jonathan stepped foreword, squinting to see by the scarce light in the hallway. The one guard stepped back but the other held his ground as he struggled for his nightstick. Jonathan looked between them and saw they were both wearing personal jackets and he could see the strap of a handbag across the woman’s chest.

“You’re leaving?” He asked, and then it hit him and he repeated it with anger. “You’re leaving! You goddamned cowards!”

Around them people screamed in outrage in their cells at the realization that they were being abandoned. The two guards shrunk away form the voices, realizing how outnumbered they were and reeling in the weight of what they were attempting to do. The guard managed to pull his nightstick out and he raised it limply as Jonathan descended upon him, moving much faster in the water with his long legs.

Jonathan snatched at the weapon and easily grabbed it from the guards loose fingers. He threw it against the wall in anger where it let off a crack that nearly deafened everyone in the cell block. He took the guard by the throat and pushed him against the wall.

“Jon!” Ed and Jervis squealed at the same time. Ed prayed he was calling the right name, that Jon was still with them and that Scarecrow hadn’t peaked his ugly head out to play. Jervis hid his face in Jonathan’s back, terrified to watch what Jonathan was about to do.

Ed moved backwards to run from Scarecrow if necessary and caught eyes with the other guard attempting to do the same. She gave him the same frantic, terrified face before pushing herself into a dive into the water. He lunged at her, and they wrestled until she elbowed him in the nose and he cursed, feeling blood mix with the water on his face. Without wasting another breath he launched himself at her again, catching her arm and pulling her backwards. Satisfied, he turned back to Jonathan who was holding the shaking guard with one hand, the other he reached for the guards flashlight.

“Jervis- take this.” He said, passing the light over his back. Jervis peaked out and grabbed it, although his hands were shaking so bad he could barely hold it. He trained the light on the guard, lighting his face up like the police spotlights they were all too familiar with.

“Keys.” Jonathan growled at the guard who quickly fumbled for the keys attached to his belt. He put them in Jonathan’s hand who promptly dropped him onto his ass.

“You as well, come on.” Ed said to the guard he was holding, opening the palm of his hand in a ‘gimme’ motion.

The guard dropped her keys into his hand and he turned to Jonathan, jingling them so Jonathan could hear he had them. In the moment his face was turned he felt her fist connect with the back of his head. He yelped as he doubled over in pain, clutching the back of his head. The guard pulled from his grip and began to run down the hallway following the guard Jonathan had let go.

“I hope you both drown you fucking IDIOTS YOU-”

“Come on Ed!” Jonathan yelled, already working on opening the cell closest to him.

“Thank you so much,” Arnold Wesker said faintly as they opened his cell. On his hand a sock regarded both of them and nodded. “We owe you dummies gig time.”

“A huh.” Jonathan nodded, ushering the old man out of the cell. He doubted there were any favors he could call in from a sock puppet.

They worked their way down the hallway as fast as they could move. Ed actually stopped bitching somewhere halfway through and Jervis looked over his shoulder suspiciously at him only to see a wicked smile lighting his face. Jervis watched as he opened the cell doors with a dramatic swing of his arms and then heroically ushered the inmates out and towards the door. In turn receiving many hugs, kisses, and offerings of future favors or retributions. Ed was absolutely basking in the attention.

At the end of the the now empty hallway Ed gave a theatrical bow, making a motion as if he were taking off his hat. Jonathan grabbed him by the collar and dragged him through the doors. He was tired of being soakin’ wet and Jervis was beginning to be a weight on his back and as much of a dear friend he was he couldn’t wait to throw him off and sit down.

“Looks like that was everyone. What’s the quickest way out?” Jonathan asked Ed. He knew the man knew the layout of the Asylum better than anyone else. He himself hadn't bothered memorizing this wings layout, he hadn’t seen this part of the asylum since his first stay here. He’d long since been detained downstairs in the maximum security wing of the prison along with his fellow Rogues.

“Through here.” Ed said, pushing open a doorway and sweeping his flashlight back and forth to check for anyone else. “Looks like they already evacuated here.”

“Do have to wonder where they took, erm, _were_ taking people.” Jervis said. He frowned. “Do you think they’re all gone, the guards?”

“Wouldn’t doubt it.” Jonathan spat, remembering the look on the faces of the two guards in the hallway. If he came across them on the outside he was sure to make them feel the weight of their sins until their dying days. Which wouldn’t be long after he got his hands on them, naturally

Ed stopped at a door and tried to open it.

“Shit, come on,” He murmured, trying the different keys on the ring the guard had given him. Finally he selected the correct one and and twisted the knob open. In a heartbeat he realized the grave mistake. He had not even a second to turn his head toward Jonathan and Jervis and say the first syllable of an apology before the door flew open and water cascaded into the hallway.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be up soon, it's already written just needs some editing. Thanks for reading!


	3. No Good Deeds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings in this chapter for talks of suicide and near character death by drowning.

Edward moved with all the instincts of a cat drenched from a bucket and launched himself into the air. He hung onto the top of the doorframe, digging his nails as deep as he could into the wood. With gritted teeth he just barely managed to keep his footing against the door as the water level began rise around him.

“Help! Jonathan? Jervis?” Ed screamed, looking over his shoulder to try to see any sign of either of the two men behind him in the water. It was useless, the hallway was dark as the inside of his eyelids. Edward felt a weight of dread fill his stomach. He was alone.

This was it. 

He was going to die here, killed in Arkham like a common criminal. This isn’t how he had imagined it, and he  _ had  _ imagined it. He’d spent perhaps more time contemplating and fantasizing about his most ideal death then he did about much of his plans.

It wasn’t that he was suicidal, no he was far from it. In fact his narcissistic personality was half convinced that he was going to live forever. But his death would be the greatest and last puzzle he could ever perform on this Earth and while he certainly wasn’t looking forward to it it was a sick fantasy that he entertained often.

This wasn’t anything like how he had pictured it. This was the absolute worst end of his mortal being he could think of. In weeks time when the waters finally began to retreat they would find him, bloated and blue, his skin deteraited and peeling away from his bones. He would be a John Doe for weeks longer until they could identify him and even then he would still be unrecognizable from the man who had once held so much glory in this city. Maybe they would never find his body, maybe he would wash out right into Gotham Harbor. His body would be lost and he was damned positive that the GCPD would never bother to investigate his disappearance. He would die a nobody, a nothing, a... a  _ waste _ .

Edward realized he was spiraling and quickly shook his head.

“I refuse to die like this.” Ed told God, told himself, told the universe.

Edward maneuvered his wet hands until he got as good of a grip as he was going to get and then swung his weight backwards with as much force as he could muster. Then without wasting another moment Edward used his momentum to kick the wall behind him, throwing his shoulder into the door as he and the door flew foreword. 

The door slammed shut and Ed just barely avoided having his fingers broken by dropping himself into the water below, soaking both himself and the books he was carrying. He was tempted to just abandon the bag when he heard Jervis’  frantic voice from down the hallway.

“Edward?”

“I’m coming!” He called, readjusting the bag on his back and swimming toward Jervis’ frantic voice.

Jervis met him halfway, reaching out to latch onto Edward’s arm. Ed bit his lip and resisted the urge to tear his arm back from Jervis’ small but strong grip. 

“ Where’s Jon?” Ed asked, looking around them

“I-I don’t-don’t know the water hit us so hard we both-both got pushed below-” Jervis babbled, struggling to talk and keep his head up above the water.

“We have to-Jonathan!-find him! JON?” Ed yelled, wildly swinging his flashlight around the hallway.

“Jonathan!” Jervis called frantically beside him, splashing his arms through the water, trying to feel in the dark for anything vaguely Jonathan shaped. He felt absolutely helpless without his flashlight which had been claimed by the wave that had tossed him ass over teacup from Jonathan’s back.

“JON? Damn you! JON?” Ed screamed, his voice beginning to grow frantic.

“There!” Jervis threw himself into the water and Ed trained his flashlight to where Jervis was headed before following after him.

Jonathan floated like a corpse, face dunked underneath the water. His thin arms spread out on either side of him, floating on top of the water. Ed had a stark vision that they looked as thin as electrical cords and he edged away from them before realizing what he was doing. He shook his head and grabbed at Jonathan, helping Jervis pull his head up above the water.

Jonathan’s head fell limply backward like a rag doll and Ed cursed him. He vigorously shook his shoulders, watching his pale face lol back and forth. Oh how very like Jonathan this was, how very, very like Jonathan to do this, to scare Ed like this to-

“Ed stop!” Edward finally registered that Jervis was screaming his name. “We have to get him out of here, we have to move!” 

Edward grabbed Jonathan under the arms and began half lifting half pulling him through the water.

“Take the keys from my top pocket, at the end of this hall on the left there-”Ed gasped for breath from trying to carry Jonathan and keep his own head above the water. “There's a door, stairwell logo on top.”

“What if it’s full of water?”Jervis asked, voice high and trembling.

“Then we’re going to drown!” Ed screamed, “Now take the keys and the flashlight and go!”

Jervis quickly did as he was told, grabbing both articles from Ed and then swimming off to find the doorway. Ed readjusted his grip on Jonathan’s shoulders, straining nearly every muscle into his body to move as fast as he could after Jervis.

“You’re not dead, you’re not fucking dead. I swear to GOD if you drowned I am going to reach down and drag your ass out of Hell Jonathan  _ fucking  _ Crane I swear it!”

“I got the door!” Jervis shouted and Ed got a hopeful burst of strength as he pulled Jonathan through the doorway. Jervis grabbed Jonathan’s legs and between the two of them they managed to carry Jonathan up the staircase.

They lowered Jonathan onto the ground and Edward dropped to his knees besides him, hands quickly moving to his chest to start compressions. He didn’t have to bother, Jonathan turned to the side and violently vomited water into his lap. Ed thumped him on the back until his vomiting turned into wet coughs which eased into deep desperate breaths for air as Jonathan caught his breath.

“Sorry, did I scare ya?” He asked finally with a little smile in between gasps of breath.

“Yes you idiot you did!” Ed said, thumping Jonathan so hard on the back he crumbled foreword. He got to his feet, gagging as he shook the lukewarm water from his lap. He made as much of a point of dropping the bag of books onto the ground as he could. “Carry your own damn books.” 

“Oh come on now-” Jonathan managed to say before coughing out a bit of water again. “‘Sides it’s not like I’m the one that nearly killed us.”

“Oh because I was supposed to know that Poseidon himself was crouched behind that fucking door. I know everything but precognition is just beyond my current skill set.” 

“Smug fuckin’ bastard.” Jonathan cursed as he managed to sit up with Jervis’ help.

“Come,come, can’t stay here.” Jervis ushered him, trying to get him to his feet but Jonathan swayed and fell backwards onto his ass. Jervis shook his head as he clasped Jonathan’s hand and pulled him forward again. He put one of Jonathan’s plate- sized hands on his shoulder and motioned for Jonathan to put his weight on him.

“Can’t thank you enough Jervis.” Jonathan muttered, taking a careful step foreword and wincing in pain.

“Oh don’t thank me, who dragged your unconscious body through the Nile, no thank Jervis who just happens to be the perfect height to be a human cane.”

“I just did.” Jonathan retorted, taking another careful step with Jervis’ help.

“Please just focus on finding a way out of this death trap.” Jervis told Ed as he slid the bag of books onto his back. They looked comically big on him and he huffed with the effort of carrying them but he kept a calm face as he helped Jonathan walk over to Ed.

“Where are we?” Jonathan asked, squinting in the darkness. He wished he still had his glasses to make some sort of sense of his surroundings.

“Group therapy room.” Ed said, lighting up a circle of chairs in the center of the room. His flashlight trailed across the floor and then to the furthest wall where Ed traced three huge gothic style windows. 

The sky outside was now pitch dark except for the occasional flash of lightning that illuminated the darkness like a magician’s flashpaper. Rain slammed itself onto the windows, threatening to crack the glass under its weight. Jervis reached up onto his tiptoes to get a better view and put a hand against the cold glass. He whispered almost too quiet to be heard over the sound of the rain.

“Pitter Patter raindrops.”

“I’m wet through.” Jonathan said.

“So are you, so are you.” Ed finished dryly. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading more angst coming in the near future!


	4. Get Up

 

It wasn’t going to be easy, that much was obvious. They were on the upper wing of the prison, with the basement and lower levels quickly filling with enough water to make it a suicide pact to even consider going back down the stairs. Their only possible escape route would be climbing from the second story and then scaling down onto the flooded road below.

Edward explained this to the the other two, and they each looked at each other completely unconvinced that any of them would be capable of the task. They were three of the most unqualified people for this sort of Phys Ed bullshit. Sure none of them were exactly out of shape, in the line of work they found themselves you were forced into what could be argued as a healthy lifestyle. Well maybe physically healthy at least.

“Any ideas on how to get down there then?” Jervis asked, looking around the room. The only things at their disposal were the wooden chairs in the middle of the room. Ed went over to them and attempted to move one of them only to find it bolted to the floor.

“Well that’s just fantastic.” He muttered, giving it a kick which left him more hurt then the chair.

“Come on, there’s gotta be something here.” Jervis said, walking painfully slow to help Jonathan limp besides him. They walked the length of the room, using the occasional lightning flash to guide them.

“There’s nothin’.” Jonathan said. “We should try another room this is gettin’ us nowhere.”

“Oh I’m sorry what do you expect to find in the next room, thirty feet of rope and a ham sandwich? No, it’s going to be the exact same like every other room in this section of the wing. It’s either this or two Electroconvulsive therapy rooms which I am in no mood to go exploring in right now.”

Besides him Jervis squeaked an agreement, feeling sick at the mere mention of the electric shock rooms he was all too familiar with.

“Anythin’ would be better ‘en this.” Jonathan said, dropping himself down in one of the chairs in the middle of the room.  Ed swung around and shone the flashlight straight in his eyes.

“Get up.”

Jonathan raised his hand to try to block out the beam of light. “I’m just sittin’ down a sec, some of us just almos’ drowned.”

“Get up.” Ed repeated.

“Ed?” Jervis asked, stepping forward, hand raised but unsure on what to do. Ed didn’t even look at him, his eyes were locked on Jonathan.

“You know I’m sick of you giving up, this isn’t you.” Ed said to Jonathan, then he took a quick step back as Jonathan swiped at him to try to get the flashlight out of his hand.

“Oh like you know me so well do ya?” Jonathan asked, trying to grab the flashlight as Ed childishly shone it in his face again.

“Unfortunately well!” Ed said. “I know you would never willingly die in this place and yet today you’ve been willing to lie back and let the water take you just like that! But you know what? I don’t give a fuck that you’ve given up- that’s fine and dandy for you. But _I’m_ not going to die because I'm not a cowardly-”

The words were lost as Jonathan shot foreword and grabbed him by the throat. His other hand wrapped around his holding the flashlight sending the beam towards the ceiling, throwing itself back and forth like a disco ball.

“I am not a coward!” Jonathan said.

“Ye-es you a-are-” Ed choked out.

“And here I thought ya were my friend, ‘I’m here for you Jon,’ yeah what a load of bullshit if I ever heard it.’

”Oh cry me a river.” Ed spat before Jonathan pressed his thumb against Edward’s windpipe blocking the little air he was allowing the man before.

“You wanna tell Scarecrow that? Because I have to tell ya he's just _dyin’_ to come out and play Eddie. He can’t wait to come out here and tear you apart and leave you to drown. He’s been ready for it all day, whisperin’ in my ear. I think I’m ready to listen to-”

“STOP!”

In a heartbeat Jonathan was on the ground and Edward was sprawled across the floor besides him panting and holding onto his throat. Jervis grabbed the flashlight out of his hand and the two could see him standing there with one of the chairs in his hand, the legs broken where he had pulled it from the bolts.

“Enough of this, all of this foolish fighting and bickering! I’m sick of it! We have to work together if we’re ever going to get out of here.”

“And how do ya expect us to do that? There’s no way out Jervis, we’re stuck here.” Jonathan said, waving a hand tiredly at him.

Jervis smiled a little and then he pointed the flashlight towards the ceiling casting light on a vent above the circle of chairs.

“I've got a plan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit shorter of a chapter before the action.


	5. Three Wise Men of Gotham

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings for comments about suicide

“Ed, could you please go next door and try to find me a screwdriver? Phillips would be lovely.” Jervis asked and Ed frowned at him, clearly disgruntled at being given orders at all, let alone orders to go into one of the ‘therapy’ rooms. He opened his mouth to complain when besides him Jonathan got to his feet and offered to go.

“Thank you Jonathan, if you can’t find anything like that a scalpel or bit of flattened metal might do the tick.” Jervis said and Jonathan nodded as he took the flashlight and the keys and disappeared into the dark hallway.

“Better hope he comes back.” Ed said.

Jervis groaned in frustration at him as he tried to pry another of the chairs loose. It was a lot more difficult to do now that he wasn’t in a blind panic.

“I don’t know why you have to egg him on like that. Especially knowing that he isn’t well.”

“When has Jonathan Crane ever been considered ‘well’?” Ed asked, gripping the chair on the other side of Jervis and helping him bend the wood from the bolts.

“I say what I mean and mean what I say, Edward.” Jervis said, pulling on the chair with all of his strength. It came off with a crack and then they went to work on another. “He needs support, to know that he has friends, friends besides Scarecrow at least. You know how he gets if he’s cooped up too long with no one to talk to.”

“He’d have more people to talk to if he wasn’t such an unbearable bastard.”

“Yes, but then he also wouldn’t be our Jon, now would he?” Jervis said. “I can’t speak for you, of course, but I can’t stand to see him like this.”

Ed was silent for a moment while they stacked two of the chairs they’d gotten loose on top of each other. He sighed and shook his head.

“I do care about him. Even if he did just try to strangle me to death. I mean when you’re in this career for the long run you have to expect that every once in a while. But I’ve known him since my first month as Riddler. He’s always been, well not by my side, but on my side. For the most part.” Ed realized he was talking in circles and gave a frustrated sigh. “Can you promise me when we’re out of here that you’ll talk to him?”

“Of course I will, but don’t you have any words for him as well?”

Ed looked away from him, focusing on the chair that they were uprooting. He tried to keep his mouth shut, his lips sealed so tight they nearly disappeared from his face. But it was futile, he finally answered Jervis, unable to help himself.

“I can’t comfort him, I don’t know how.” Edward said. “I’m not the psychologist here, it would be cruel of me to even begin that conversation.”

When Jervis didn’t answer him but gave him a look of impatience he continued. “What do you want me to do, Jervis? Give him a pat on the back and say ‘oh there, there’?’

“You could just talk to him.” Jervis suggested.

“Yeah, talk.” Edward scoffed. “Look who you’re talking to here, Mr Edward-open mouth insert foot- Nygma.”

“I don’t think it matters what you say, it’s mostly about what Jonathan needs to say.” Jervis said.

Edward laughed harshly. “Expecting that labrinth of a man to actually open up about himself is like expecting Oswald Cobblepot to suddenly become interested in philanthropy.”

“I have heard he donates quite a bit to different causes,” Jervis mused and Ed waved at him, not wanting to delve further into Oswald’s personal accounts with him.

“All I’m asking is that you make sure he’s alright, that we’re not going to find him hanging from a rafter anytime soon. I… I don’t think I’d ever forgive myself for that. He’s one of the only friends I have in this world.”

They both heard the door open and Jonathan walked in, making both Jervis and Ed jump like they’d been caught doing something naughty. Jonathan dropped a handful of tools into Jervis’ hands who quickly went to work sorting them and looking for what he needed.

Jonathan looked at Ed and then quickly turned away. Ed bit his lip, realizing Jonathan must of heard them as he came back into the room.

“I’m… I’m really sorry about the arguing.” Edward said.

“I’m sorry for layin’ my hands on you, I never should of done that.” Jonathan said, looking down at Jervis so he had an excuse to why he was avoiding Ed’s eye. “You're my friend too, you know.” He added, almost too quietly to be heard. In face Jervis didn’t hear it, he snatched a screwdriver off the ground and jumped to his feet excitedly.

“Jonathan, I need you to give me a boost. Can you do that?”

“Of course, come here.” Jonathan said, kneeling so Jervis could climb onto his shoulders. He carefully stepped up onto the stack of chairs that Ed and Jervis had built, holding onto the back of one for stability as they wobbled beneath them. He hissed a little in pain as Jervis stuck his foot in the side where he had just hit him with a chair not ten minutes before and Jervis quickly apologized.

“It’s nothin’, can you reach?”

“Yes, just give me one moment.” Jervis said, craning his neck to see the vent. “Little light, edward?”

“You got it.” Ed said, training the flashlight up on the corner of the vent so Jervis could see the screws.

In a matter of seconds Jervis had all four screws out of the vent and it fell to the ground with a clatter leaving a two and a half by two and a half hole in the ceiling. He climbed off of Jonathan who carefully lowered him to the ground.

“I trust you know the layout of the vents?” Jervis asked Ed.

“Do you know how much time I’ve spent in them?” Ed laughed. “I know them better than I do myself.”

“Perfect, you go first,” Jervis ushered him. He kneeled and cupped his hands together. Besides him Jonathan did the same thing on the chairs.

Ed took a deep breath before stepping into Jervis’s hands and holding back a shriek as the man used all of  his energy to force him upwards into Jonathan's waiting hands.

“Got you Eddie.” Jonathan said, quickly hoisting Ed up into the vent. He pulled himself in the rest of the way and then stuck out his hand to pull Jervis up next who brought the pack of books with him. Jonathan stacked another chair onto the pile and then the two both gripped his hands and pulled him up in between them in the vent.

Despite his height he fit the best in the small space, able to fold his thin body into the perfect shape for the vent system. He shifted, rolling his shoulders and they both willingly came out of place with a slight pop noise that sounded absolutely deafening in the vents. Ed made a face at him but it was more playful than out of malice. This was far from the first time he had seen the other man exercise his hypermobility.

“Come on, this way.” Ed said, leading them down the vent.

They moved as quickly as they could, following Ed who crawled with a purpose. He knew exactly where to go, just as long as it too hadn’t become too flooded to be used. They made a left, and then another. They followed that vent until Jonathan’s knees were screaming in pain.

“Do you have an ETA on this guided tour?” He groaned.

“Almost there, hold onto your burlap Jon.” He led them towards another left, which brought them to what appeared to be a dead end.

“Pass me a screwdriver, will you?” Ed asked and Jervis happily pulled the dozen he had stashed in his pantline.

“What type?”

“Flathead, small if you have it.”

Jervis hummed happily and passed a screwdriver up to him. Ed unscrewed the four bolts and then knocked the vent out of the wall. It fell with a damp clatter but a clatter nonetheless, the room below them hadn’t completely flooded yet.

Ed shone the flashlight onto the floor to make sure there was nothing dangerous below them and then absolutely grinned.

“We’re on easy street now, boys” He said before giving them both a little wave. He leaned backwards and let himself drop out of the ceiling vent.

He fell with a soft thud into a large laundry cart full of sheets. Jonathan crawled up to the vent and looked down at him.

“Better move outta the way ‘less ya want my boot in ya face.” He said but his voice was light and teasing.

“You wouldn’t dare-” Ed said and then he yelped and scrambled up the side of the cart as Jonathan did in fact dare. He dropped neatly beside Ed, only slightly kicking him in the shoulder but with his long legs it was inevitable.

“Come on, bombs away.” Jonathan told Jervis, moving over to the other side of the laundry cart to give Jervis room to drop in the middle of them.

“Books first.” Jervis said,and then carefully dropped the wet bag down into Jonathan’s waiting arms. Jervis watched it fall and bit his lip. For his height it was a mighty big drop but he knew they didn’t have any more time to waste. He closed his eyes and pushed himself out of the ceiling. He fell with a small scream into the blankets.

“I feel as though I know what a sugar cube goes through before being dropped in a hot cuppa tea.” He groaned as he recovered from the wind being knocked out of him.

“At least you’re not dissolving.” Ed said, helping Jervis to his feet. “Now if I’m right, and you know that I am, then the systems should have gone into shutdown before the generators drew their last breaths. So we’ll have to find a way to manually open the loading dock, maybe there’s something we can use to pry it open, a crowbar or we can-”

“Erm, Edward, I don’t think that’ll be a problem.” Jervis said, “Listen.”

Ed shut his mouth for a moment and then he heard it. Rain. It was so much louder in here like there was an open window- or an open door.

“The docks!” He said, jumping out of the laundry and splashing over to the doors to investigate. They were wide open, clearly forgotten in the chaos following the flooding. “Yes! We have a clear path! Now the only problem is not drowning once we get outside.”

Jonathan smiled from the laundry cart.

“Hey Ed, have ya ever heard the nursery rhyme, the Three Wise Men of Gotham?”

“Of course I have, the three wise men of Gotham went to sea in a bowl, and if the bowl had been stronger, my song would be much longer.” Ed recited on command.

“Now, I would say it’s not much of a bowl but we do seem to have a vessel a’ ou’own.” Jonathan said, gesturing down at the laundry cart.

“Oh brilliant!” Ed said, “Quick, take the blankets out we'll float much better.”

The two pulled out the sheets as Ed looked around the laundry, moving in a frenzy. He found the folding racks he was looking for and quickly unscrewed the tops of them from their metal stands.

He gave one to each of them before standing there, hands pressed against the cart. He gave it an experimental push and it easily moved through the few inches of water.

“Ready boys?” He asked with an all too excited smile on his face.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem The Three Wise Men of Gotham is a real poem from 1700s and you have no idea how long I've been waiting to include it in a Batman fic. I have just one more chapter left planned for this fic, although I'll be writing much more with these three in the future.


	6. Escape and Capture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so sorry for the wait y'all. Here's the final chapter I hope you like it!

With the rejuvenating strength from a promise of freedom ahead of him, Edward threw his body weight against the cart. It began to move through the laundry, slowly at first and then picking up speed as it began to cut through the water like it was nothing. When they had enough momentum Ed heaved himself onto the side of the cart, unable at first to pull his body all the way over the side.  Jervis helped him the rest of the way inside, and he landed with a hearty laugh on the bottom of the cart.

Jonathan kept them straight with the makeshift ore as they careened through the laundry room and then out the open doors. They rolled down the dock for a few feet before the water picked up and their makeshift boat plateaued shakily into the water.

From above them the storm instantaneously soaked them through, rain streaming down their faces and the wind plastering their hair into their eyes. Edward placed the flashlight into Jervis’ hand as he took the other ore in his own and began paddling. It was awkward work, neither he nor Jonathan knowing even in what direction to go now and it took them both a moment to realize they were trying to row in separate directions.

There was a sound of mud being thrown and suddenly there were headlights on them. The three froze for a moment like deer before their eyes adjusted in the near dark and they saw the sleek black shape of the Batmobile in the distance.

“Oh fuck me.” Edward cursed, shaking his head. Jervis pointed to the left, motioning for them to start paddling in the opposite direction. The two followed his orders, frantically splashing together to the left in reckless abandon.

“Stop!” Batman yelled, which of course just made the three move quicker. Jervis looked over his shoulder and could see Batman getting out of the car.

“Come back here!” Batman screamed and Ed laughed.

“As if! Come on Jon, to the left, that’s it, we’ll go around the side where it’s more flooded he won’t be able to follow in that atrocious gaffe for a car there.”

They made it not another foot before they all heard the telltale pistol sound of Batman’s grappling hook. It attached itself with a loud thunk to the side of the makeshift boat and began to reel them back towards Batman and the road.

Jervis tried to pry the black claw from the side of the cart but it had sunk its teeth deep into the plastic. He turned to the other two who had abandoned trying to row and stood with their oars half raised in preparation for a fight.

“I hate to say it lads, but I think we might have to abandon ship.” Jervis said.

“It’s either that or fight, it is three against one.” Ed added, trying to do the probability equations of the three of them going hand to hand with Batman. Unfortunately every one resulted in them getting their asses handed to them. 

“I’m in no shape for a fight, but I’ll give it everything I’ve got.” Jonathan promised them.

Jervis looked up at him with sad eyes and then in frustration tossed the flashlight as hard as he could at Batman. It landed a laughable distance from the man and disappeared into the water. Jervis just about tore out a fistful of his hair. 

“Damn you Batman!” He shrieked. “Damn you and every one of the ones like you in that hell hole! I refuse to be taken back to my death!”

“I’m not taking you back to Arkham!” Batman yelled and the three stared at him.

“But we’re escaping?” Ed called back in confusion.

“Let me reel you in, we can talk.” Batman offered.

The three turned towards each other, a mix of skepticism and surprise on each of their faces. 

“Really think we can trust him?” Jervis asked, looking up at his two soaked friends.

“No, but I don’t think we have another option.” Ed sighed, trying to brush the rain from his face. He was tired of this. He was tired of running and he was tired of being soaked. He just wanted to put on some dry clothes and at this point it didn’t even matter if it was another prison jumpsuit at least as it was dry.

Ed poked his head out of the cart and called over to Batman again.

“Do you promise not to take us back?” He called.

“Yes, I promise, as long as you three behave.”

Ed turned to the other two. “Think we can do that?”

Jonathan gave out a hollow laugh. “To be honest with y’all at this point I would just about agree to domestication in exchange for a dry shirt.”

Jervis agreed and Ed clapped his hands together.

“We’re in agreement Batman! No funny business in exchange for some dry clothes- preferably some Vicuna wool but at this point I think we’d all settle for a nice cashmere instead!”

“I’ll see what I can do.” If the three were not mistaken there was a chuckle behind  the Dark Knight’s voice. He finished reeling them onto the semi dry land and gave them space as they shakingly got out of the cart. He went around to the Batmobile and opened the door to the backseat.

“What, no hand cuffs?” Edward asked, a tease in his voice.

“Not unless you want them.”

“No, thank you.” Jervis squeaked, and he was the first to crawl into the backseat of the car. It was impossibly warm and he settled into the heated seat.

“Really, you aren’t going to take us back into custody?” Edward asked, still suspicious. He hadn’t gotten this far in his career path by trusting people, especially do gooders like the Bat.

“A promise is a promise.” He said. Jonathan nodded at that and then folded himself into the backseat. He beckoned to Ed.

“Come on, Eddie. Get outta the rain.”

Edward gave Batman one last suspicious look before trying to get into the backseat beside Jonathan. The other man groaned as Edward sat on his arm, and then accidentally elbowed him in the face. Edward tried to readjust himself in the seat but found Jonathan’s long limbs just about everywhere and where they weren’t was a now nearly asleep Hatter.

“Can I sit shotgun?

“Do you promise not to touch anything?”

“Let’s say... yes.” 

Batman sighed but opened the passenger seat to let Edward in, who happily scampered into the dry interior. 

“Where are we going?” He asked as Batman put on his seatbelt and ordered for him to do the same. 

When he did, Batman threw the Batmobile into reverse and began backing out of the flood zone, the strong engines of the car not even giving a sign that they were in distress as mud kicked up around them. 

“I’m taking you to a safe house I have in the city. You’ll be safe there until this is all over.”

“And why are you doing that?”

Batman was silent for a moment, watching the road as they sped through the completely flooded road. Surely in a normal car, even an SUV they would be swept from the road but the Batmobile drove straight and without hassle. Ed wanted to ask what type of motor was under the hood, impressed despite himself, but before he could Batman answered.

“According to GCN, all the inmates at Arkham had been evacuated and were en route to Blackgate for holding but something didn’t sit right with me. There weren't enough buses in the brigade to get everyone out. I, along with a few brave members of the GCPD came down here to investigate.

We found two and a half dozen nearly drowned individuals around Arkham, including Arnold Wesker who told me who their saviors were. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be the three of you.The GCPD evacuated the rest to safety but I’ve been looking for the three of you all night myself.”

He turned to look at Ed and the two in his backseat who were both spread out, Jervis now fully asleep, tucked comfortably into Jonathan’s side. Jonathan looked like he wasn’t far behind but he stared back at Batman through half open eyes.

“You three did an incredible thing, you saved all of their lives.”

“Yeh, well, someone had to.” Jonathan said. He looked down at the sleeping Hatter who still clutched the bag of books in his arms. He put an arm around the other man and ran a hand over the bag of books softly, a sad look on his face. 

Batman nodded at him but was silent for the rest of the journey. In the passenger seat Ed leaned his head back, more and more relaxed as Arkham disappeared in the rearview mirror. When it finally vanished into the distance he gave a soft laugh, the last ounce of fear leaving his body.

Batman looked over and gave him a small smile, the first he had ever seen on the Dark Knight's face in a long, long time. Ed wondered if he was dreaming already, between the warmth of the car and the utter exhaustion finally catching up on him from the escape he wouldn’t be surprised. He gripped the seatbelt across his lap twice, and then satisfied that he wasn’t in a dream yet, he closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That finishes up this story! I have quite a few more fics planned with these three, including a Scriddler and a multi chapter Hattercrow fic so keep your eyes open for them.

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr is Justonewordpond talk to me about that sad shit! Thanks!


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